Chapter Text
Minho wished he’d never fallen for His Prince.
Or that His Prince wouldn’t be this noble. This fucking good.
That Felix would have fled with them when they had begged him to do so, that night after his sister had told him they would send him to their enemies like a fucking piece of meat.
Minho wished that all three of them wouldn’t love Their Prince as they did, or that they would have just kidnapped him. That they would have ignored his wishes and just taken him far away.
That they wouldn’t have cared for the way Felix would have suffered then. That they wouldn’t have cared that Felix wouldn’t have been able to forgive them or himself.
And right now, in one of his darkest moments, Minho wished the three of them would have taken the out Felix had offered them, telling them to leave and be happy without him.
Clutching a whimpering Hyunjin tighter to himself, Minho wished all of that. Wished that he could take the pain from all of them. Wished that he and Hyunjin would have only loved each other. That they would have courted Jeongin, and that Felix would have been just Their Prince.
Hyunjin shuddered in Minho’s hold again, his face hidden in Minho’s chest.
At least he had stopped crying a while ago.
Minho could have gone his whole damn life without watching someone wait to have their heart ripped open. Could have gone without trying to shush Hyunjin on his own when it was Felix and Jeongin who were better with the whole emotions thing.
Could have gone a whole life without watching Felix stand up straight, no matter that his back was still in agony from the long travel by carriage, and follow Seungmin to a fate he considered worse than death.
Pressing a kiss to the crown of Hyunjin’s head, Minho held on. For all of them.
It couldn’t take that much longer, could it? That prince wouldn’t keep Felix with him overnight, would he? After everything he had already done to Felix, he surely wouldn’t do that, too, would he?
Minho hadn’t believed his nice act for a heartbeat, but he’d hoped for at least a shred of kindness for Felix’s sake.
Trying to rein in his anger, Minho knew he wouldn’t stand back if that prince would try to keep Felix with him. He would come up with a lie, fake an emergency, or just flat out break into that prince’s chambers to get Felix back.
Peace treaty be damned, he wouldn’t stand for that.
The door to the main chamber was pushed open roughly, Jeongin muttering something to someone, and then there was the sound of a closing door.
Grabbing Hyunjin tighter, even though the younger had just gone still in his arms, Minho didn’t dare to move.
There was a different murmur, quieter still, and then one pair of footsteps walking closer.
One pair of footsteps.
Pressing another kiss to Hyunjin’s hair, Minho was about to call out to Jeongin when said man pushed the ajar door open.
In his arms, Jeongin carried an all but limp Felix, who wore distinctly not the clothes he had left in.
Swallowing the possessive rage immediately flaring alive in his chest, Minho held more tightly onto Hyunjin, who had finally looked up, his eyes now fixed on his mate.
No matter what happens, you will always be my first mate. Felix had sworn to Hyunjin, a desperate smile on his face, before he had pressed the last kiss to Hyunjin’s lips.
Minho himself had received his last kiss and promise a moment earlier. If I were free to choose, it would have been you, Min.
But Felix hadn’t been free to choose, and although Hyunjin had been his first mate, the new bite mark, angrily red and still oozing blood, was prominent on Felix’s skin.
“Lay down, Lix.” Jeongin murmured, pressing a reassuring kiss to Felix’s temple, before he bowed forward, gently placing Felix onto the bed.
Felix moved sluggishly and haltingly, pain obvious in his movements. Something Felix only allowed himself when he knew he was on his own. Or with them.
Almost worse was how disheveled he looked. He was clearly beyond exhausted, and his eyes were at least as red as Hyunjin’s were.
Holding more tightly onto Hyunjin, who had whimpered quietly at the show of pain from Felix, it was the only reason Minho wasn’t already on his way to kill that prince. Like this, he couldn’t abandon Hyunjin, not while Felix was unable to touch him and Jeongin was attending to Felix.
But the moment that was over, all bets were off, and he would delight in slitting that disgusting asshole’s throat.
“I am okay, Innie.” Felix murmured, patting Jeongin’s hand.
Not that they believed Felix when he said that. He could be actively bleeding to death, and he would still proclaim he was fine.
He could come back from being mated against his will, his bond broken and fucking raped, barely able to move, and he would still proclaim he was fucking fine.
“Sure, you’re fine.” Jeongin said, barely able to force a soothing tone of voice over the fury. “Do you need your tincture?” Jeongin brushed his fingers through Felix’s hair.
Either to soothe Felix or to hide how mussed it already was.
Biting back another growl, Minho moved when Hyunjin sat up more, his hands now clawing into Minho’s shirt.
“Lix?”
Felix moved immediately, his eyes finding Hyunjin’s with an ease that had always been there between the two of them, even before they had mated. The moment Felix laid eyes on Hyunjin, though, new tears sprang to his eyes.
Minho would definitely kill that prince. It wouldn’t be a fast death either. He would draw it out as much as he could manage. Would make him suffer even a fraction of what he had done to Felix.
“I’m fine.” Felix forced out, driving another dagger into their hearts, even if Minho had been sure there was nothing left of it. “I swear, my Flame, I am fine. Don’t you feel me?”
Minho froze. As did Hyunjin.
“Don’t you feel me?” There were more tears now in Felix’s eyes. “Chan-ssi bit me, but he didn’t-” He sobbed, already reaching for the trousers he was clad in, trying to push them off.
“Lix, what-”
“Please.” Felix moved, obviously ignoring the pain he was in.
Jeongin, without hesitating, moved, even while Hyunjin keened, surging forward as if he wanted to throw himself at Felix.
But he didn’t. He stayed put, now grabbing Minho so tightly that he would surely leave bruises on him. Not that they would stay long enough to matter.
“My Sun.” It was a reverent whisper, as Hyunjin stared at Felix, new tears now dripping down his cheeks. “I can feel you.”
Glancing down at Hyunjin at that, Minho looked up again when Jeongin gasped, staring at Felix’s privates for a moment before he helped him out of the trousers.
To show the unmarred bite mark that still bound Hyunjin and Felix together.
No, that couldn’t be true.
“He didn’t touch me.” Felix let himself sink against Jeongin, who had sat down beside Felix on the bed, wrapping his arms around Their Prince.
“You’re in pain.” Hyunjin whispered, and although Felix never lied to any of them, when Hyunjin said it, it still held more weight, as he could literally feel the pain Felix was in.
It was the only reason they had learned how much pain Felix was in on most days in the first place. It was the only reason they had started to give him tinctures against it.
“Because I was afraid and tensed up.” Felix huffed a laugh, wet and tired. “I swear to you, Chan-ssi was the perfect gentleman, caring far more for my virtue and comfort than I did.”
Biting back a snarl, Minho forced it down. This was not a time to fight about that, no matter that it chafed at him.
“You’re okay?” Hyunjin asked, obviously focusing on the most important thing.
“I am, my Flame, I swear it on our love, there is no pain aside the familiar and the bite on my neck.”
“What did he mean then?” Jeongin asked, his voice not having lost the touch of fury. And if Jeongin was furious, Minho was sure there was a good reason for it.
“He meant it was a rough night emotionally, Innie.” Felix made a slight grimace, and Jeongin immediately helped him lie down more comfortably. “The bite, the stress, the crying. It was rough.”
Jeongin nodded, brushing his fingers one more time through Felix’s hair, before he looked over to meet Minho’s eyes. He didn’t believe it, not fully, but now was not the time to pressure Felix for answers. Not while Felix was barely awake and in pain.
“He swore he wouldn’t hurt you.” Felix’s eyes were still on Hyunjin, his eyes flickering up to Minho, before he looked back at Hyunjin. “He swore that I would be allowed to keep our connection as long as I am faithful to him.”
Hyunjin sobbed again, going limp in Minho’s arms. Moving both of them into a more comfortable position, Minho made sure Hyunjin would be able to see Felix, resting his head against Minho’s chest.
“Do you believe him?”
Felix looked up at Minho, and Minho saw the doubt there.
“What else can I do?” Felix asked, his voice a rough whisper.
Nothing.
There was nothing else Felix could do. A circumstance that prince would know. A circumstance that made Felix vulnerable in a way that Minho didn’t even want to think of, because Felix was too kind and trusting as it was.
Of course, he would want to believe his fucking second mate when he promised Felix he wouldn’t hurt them or Felix. Of course, Felix would want to believe that his second mate was kind. No matter that he was the bloody war prince of their oppressors.
But what else could he do?
Swallowing the agony and fury, Minho forced a purr into his voice. “Rest now, Bokkie. We will be here when you wake up.”
Felix smiled at him, pained and exhausted, but it was still the kind, honest smile, full of love and light that Minho had fallen for almost as soon as he had been put in charge of Felix. The reason why, when he was still barely more than a hatchling, had started to call Felix Baby Dragon in the old tongue of Levanter.
“Are you okay, Min?”
Because, of course, Felix would ask that. If he was ever murdered, the idiot would use his last breath to make sure his murderer would be okay with what they did.
“I am glad you two kept your bond.” Which he was.
Pushing down the spiking fear that it would break Felix beyond repair if that prince were to break it later.
Felix opened his lips, probably to ask something else, but Jeongin, blessedly, had leaned to the side, snatching the tincture from the side table and now offered some to Felix.
It wasn’t a good idea to give it to Felix on an empty stomach, but right now, Minho was sure it was the lesser of two evils.
He could also not fault him for being unable to eat today.
Felix took the tincture and then allowed Jeongin to lay comfortably on him, hugging him close in a way that allowed Felix a clear view of Hyunjin and Minho.
“I love you.” It was already slurred, but the smile was honest and happy on Felix’s lips.
“We love you, too.” Hyunjin whispered back, not reaching out to him, but Minho had felt the aborted movement.
Jeongin leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Felix’s hair, humming a calm melody, his eyes now on Felix.
Waiting.
Hyunjin, who had been similarly exhausted, cuddled closer to Minho, falling asleep almost immediately. He’d told Minho once that he wasn’t affected by it when Felix took the tinctures, but that it was alluring to feel your mate fall asleep and follow them.
Looking up to meet Jeongin’s eyes, Minho found the same suspicion in them that he held himself.
Felix might be too kind and desperate, and Hyunjin might be just too hurt and desperate to look further right now, but Jeongin was almost as suspicious as Minho, and possibly even more vicious.
They had survived their first two days at Miroh’s court. Felix had become first mate to the Blood Prince against all odds. But this, as nihilistic as it sounded, meant their troubles had only just begun.
Minho was glad they lived. He had wished for it, of course, he had.
That didn’t mean he didn’t know that surviving meant more trouble than dying would have.
“I don’t trust him.” Jeongin whispered, his voice low and melodic, still sounding almost as if he was singing.
“What did he say?” Minho asked back, pitching his voice similarly, running his fingers further through Hyunjin’s hair.
“That Felix had had a rough night and should allow me to carry him.” Jeongin huffed, fury flashing over his face. “I was about to kill him on the spot.”
“I wouldn’t have faulted you.”
Jeongin rolled his eyes. “You would have faulted me for not drawing it out.” Jeongin looked down where Felix had moved, his face showing the pain in sleep, when he was able to hide it awake.
“I am afraid, Min.” Jeongin looked back towards Minho, the fury was still in his eyes, but now there was also tension in his expression and in the way he was half curled over Felix. “What is his game?”
It was an excellent question. One Minho had no fucking answer to.
“He holds all the power. He could do anything, and we wouldn’t be really able to fight against him or protect Lix, so why is he doing this? Does he want to make us believe he truly is kind just to destroy our hope later?” Jeongin asked, voicing the questions Minho had himself.
Questions he had no answers to. And that was before the fact that they were hiding more than one secret that could get all of them killed thrice over.
“What is the word about him?” Minho moved Hyunjin so that he rested on Minho’s lap more comfortably.
Jeongin raised an eyebrow at him. “I am good, sure, but not that good.”
“Aren’t you?” Minho raised an answering eyebrow. “I didn’t ask for a full report; I asked for word about him.”
“Seungmin is loyal to him, and so are the two guards in his Thunder. He seems to be respected by his people. Most servants here don’t know one word of our tongue and immediately believe I don’t either. I think Seungmin knows that I know at least enough to get by, but he doesn’t seem to see the necessity to tell others.”
“Were they afraid of you?”
Jeongin shook his head. “Most seemed disinterested, if not outright pitying. Some of the guards around the castle glared angrily at me though. I think they would have tried something if I hadn’t been with Seungmin.”
That wasn’t good.
“Anything else?”
Jeongin hesitated, his eyes wandering down to Felix’s still form. “When I carried Felix out of the prince’s chambers, that one guard, Changbin, was waiting outside. He seemed shocked at Felix’s state and accompanied us here.”
“You think he can be turned?” Minho asked immediately.
“Not easily. He is loyal to his prince, but he also seems compassionate toward Lix.”
“He is the one mated to this Seungmin, right?” Minho asked.
“Yes.” Jeongin nodded. “Seungmin also seemed… agitated at Felix’s state. At the whole situation, really.”
“Because that prince acts differently now?” Minho asked, knowing full well Jeongin didn’t know either.
Jeongin just shrugged helplessly.
“Okay. We should sleep, too, Innie.” Minho didn’t say that it was a rough day for all of them, even if it had been.
“Yeah, I know.” Jeongin glanced down at himself, clearly debating whether it would be worth it to change, before he shrugged and cuddled close behind Felix, Their Prince moving closer and sighing reassuredly when he was held in their youngest embrace.
It is a horribly selfish thing to say, but I am so glad we haven’t yet started courting, Innie. Felix had said, hugging Jeongin tightly during their last rest on their side of the border, just after he had kissed Minho and Hyunjin for the last time.
It’s not. Jeongin had answered, hugging Felix back just as tightly. I am glad for it, too.
Felix was honorable to a degree that was all but nauseating to Minho. He understood loyalty and being honorable to your own people. He was much more practical when it came to anyone else.
In other words, they had had an intense screaming match when Felix had declared he wouldn’t touch them as soon as they had crossed the border to Miroh. It had taken hours to convince Felix that Jeongin couldn’t be counted as a mate, or anything akin to it, not really, as they hadn’t even courted him yet.
That it would mean that he would be allowed to touch Felix. To care for him like that without breaking his fucking oath to someone he shouldn't even care about.
But Felix did. Of course, he did.
Cared so much that he had begged Hyunjin, Minho, and Jeongin to leave without him. Had begged them to find happiness together and to forget him.
As if they ever could. As if they ever would.
Minho lay down beside Hyunjin, allowing the other to hug him close in his sleep.
Because he wasn’t allowed to touch Felix anymore.
Because if they hadn’t lost the war three months ago, Minho would have already been mated to Hyunjin and Felix.
-o0o-
“Please, try some more.” Hyunjin coaxed, his voice soothing and warm, as he looked at Felix. He was sitting far enough away to not be able to touch Felix by accident. “Please, my Sun, for us.”
Felix mock glared at Hyunjin, his body stiff, and still looking so exhausted. Minho just wanted to drag Felix back into bed.
But that wouldn’t help. The tincture always made Felix nauseous, more so even when he had it without food in his belly, and his back would only relax if he was able to walk around.
“I can-” Jeongin started to say when there was a sharp knock at the door.
Minho immediately whirled around, putting himself between Felix and the door, knowing without checking that Hyunjin would be moving behind Felix, while Jeongin had stood up, meeting Minho’s eyes.
He nodded.
Jeongin put on a smile, relaxing his body language, before he walked over, opening the door just enough to see the people behind the door. “Seungmin-nim.”
“It’s Seungmin-ssi. Good Morning Jeongin-ssi. I was informed that the breakfast brought to Felix-nim was incomplete.”
“Oh.” Jeongin sounded almost pleased as he opened the door further, allowing Seungmin entry.
Seungmin walked in, head held high, carrying a tray with a glass, a big pitcher, four bowls, and a tureen. He wore very similar clothes to yesterday, high-quality servants' clothes in a dark red that complemented his dark green hair.
“Seungmin-ssi.” Felix got up from his chair. Minho didn’t need to see it to know, based on the movement he could hear.
“The breakfast we had was more than sufficient. There is no need-”
“You haven’t been eating.” Seungmin cut in, his voice neutral, but the way he looked over the barely touched trays of food standing on their dining table. “Chan-hyung is worrying, and so are we.”
Minho clamped down on the retort already on his lips, glancing back at Felix, who stood right beside the table with a calm and friendly smile on his face, no hint of pain anywhere to see.
“Thank you, Seungmin-ssi, I am very grateful.” Felix bowed his head forward. “Please tell Chan-nim too, but I do not want to waste more food.”
Seungmin, to his credit, didn’t tell Felix to just fucking eat it then. Instead, he nodded. “The food is not wasted if you don’t eat it, Felix-nim. It is being distributed among the servants.”
The real relief on Felix’s face was as expected as it was painful.
“I am glad. Thank you for telling me, Seungmin-ssi.”
Seungmin bowed his head before he looked over at Jeongin. “I had the cook recreate what you did yesterday. I hope it will help.”
“Thank you, Seungmin-ssi. It will.” There was steel in Jeongin’s voice.
Most likely, the reason Seungmin had directed it at Jeongin and not at Felix.
Clever, observant servant. That could be a problem.
It could also be something they could use, if Seungmin actually wanted to at least keep them comfortable for the moment.
“May I ask a question, Seungmin-ssi?” Minho pitched his voice calm and friendly, seeing suspicion flash through Seungmin’s eyes as he looked at Minho.
“Of course, Minho-ssi.” There was nothing but politeness in his voice, but Minho was not fooled by it, as Seungmin wasn’t fooled by Minho’s.
“Is there a courtyard or maybe a garden Our Prince would be allowed to take a stroll in?”
Seungmin frowned slightly, his eyes flickering to Felix.
“Min, that’s not necessary.” Felix threw him a warning look before he smiled back at Seungmin. “It is quite alright, Seungmin-ssi. I don’t need-”
“There are several courtyards I could recommend, but I believe you would enjoy the castle garden the most. The flowers there are quite beautiful this time of year.” Seungmin cut in again, something that could potentially cost him his head. As he was cutting Felix off for his own damn good, Minho was willing to let it slide.
“I am sure Chan-hyung didn’t even think about giving you express permission to visit them because he would never think of banning you from a simple joy like that.” Seungmin sounded honest, but Minho was a good liar, too.
“If it would reassure you, Felix-nim, I would be happy to ask him for you. The only restriction I could think of right now would be to cover your mating bite, as you haven’t been officially announced to the court yet.”
“Please, do.” Hyunjin, Jeongin, and Minho said at the same time as Felix already tried to protest again.
Glancing around the four of them, Seungmin nodded. “I will ask him right away.” With that, he bowed in front of Felix and left, Jeongin closing the door behind him.
“Min-” Felix started, but Hyunjin immediately interrupted him.
“You need to move, my Sun. You know it will only get worse if you don’t.”
“We can’t push him too much.” Felix shook his head, his hands tightening around each other. “He has been far kinder to us than we could have hoped for. I don’t want to abuse that.”
“Abuse that?” Jeongin asked, fury back in his voice, even if he had been good at holding it back earlier in the morning. “Lix, he-”
“Did what was demanded of him, as did I.” Felix cut Jeongin off with a glare. “In fact, he did much less than that, and you know it.”
“Please, my Sun.” Hyunjin stepped in front of Felix, not touching him, but holding out the glass with something that looked like the milkshake Jeongin used to make for Felix. “If he is truly kind, he will not mind allowing you to walk in the gardens. And if this is what will push him over the edge, then…” Hyunjin inhaled slowly, clearly bracing himself for the next words. “Then it is better to know that sooner rather than later, isn’t it?”
Felix exhaled harshly, turning his head to the window, not in dismissal but to hide his expression.
As if they couldn’t read him without it. As if Hyunjin, bless all the stars, wasn’t able to feel his emotions.
“Please drink something.” Hyunjin nudged the glass against Felix, not touching him.
“Okay.” Felix took the glass slowly out of his hand, careful not to even brush their fingers together, inhaling as if bracing himself before he took a sip, clearly trying not to shudder. “You have to eat, too, please.”
“After you finish that glass.” Jeongin said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Felix glared at him, but took another sip. He knew better than to try fighting with Jeongin. Especially knowing Seungmin would be back soon.
Their last real fight had lasted for weeks, and it had taken Minho and Hyunjin all the patience in the world to talk them out of it.
But none of them would budge on that. It was the only real way to pressure Felix into eating anything. Minho hated it, but if he had to choose between this and watching Felix wasting away, he knew what he - and all of them - would choose any time.
Jeongin laid out the coat Felix had brought with him - a horridly light thing with too much lace to be useful - being gracious enough to start eating when Felix had drunk half of the milkshake.
The food was good. Too rich after the last couple of months they had, but the soup Seungmin had brought was light enough for them to stomach with some rice.
They had barely finished, Felix still trying to drink his milkshake, when there was a knock at the door.
Jeongin got up immediately, walking over to the door and opening it. “Seungmin-ssi, Jisung-ssi.” He glanced back into the room.
Neither Hyunjin nor Minho had bothered to get up. That prince’s Thunder knew they would be dining with Their Prince.
Felix nodded, putting down the glass, straightening his back.
Jeongin opened the door and stepped to the side, allowing the two men entrance. The guard stepped in first, his sharp eyes rushing over all of them, staying on Minho for a moment longer, assessing him as the greatest threat in the room.
He was right, of course, and although Minho was pretty sure that the other guard, Changbin, could be ferocious, he would bet the slim man in front of them, with the unassuming blond hair, shimmering red when he moved in the light, was the greatest threat from their Thunder.
Seungmin waited until Jeongin had closed the door before he bowed towards Felix. “I am here under strict instructions to beg your forgiveness for the oversight. Chan-hyung had never even thought that you, as the prince of a Kingdom we were just at war with, wouldn’t know if you were allowed to wander around the castle grounds.” Seungmin rolled his eyes, his tone perfectly polite, as Jisung threw him a warning look.
“I am here to tell you that you are, of course, allowed to move freely in the castle and the grounds, to acquaint yourself with it. Hyung didn’t specify it, but I am sure it is in your own best interest not to make the impression you are seeking information, so I’d advise you to stick to the gardens for now.” Seungmin said offhandedly, but Minho had seen the way he had glanced at Jeongin at that.
They would have to keep an eye on that.
“Of course, Seungmin-ssi.” Felix bowed his head gracefully. “If it is an inconvenience, I don’t need to-”
“It is not an inconvenience. Jisung is going to show you the way.” Seungmin cut in, now holding out a fine fabric to Jeongin. “Chan-hyung will present you officially to the court tomorrow or the day after. There are still some preparations that need to be finalized. Until after you have been presented officially to the court, you’re to wear a scarf at all times when you leave your chambers.”
“Yes, Seungmin-ssi.” Felix bowed his head again. “Thank you.”
“It was not a bother.” Seungmin bowed towards Felix. “If you excuse me, I have other matters to attend to, but Jisung will show you the way.” Seungmin glanced at the breakfast table, meeting Jeongin’s eyes for a heartbeat. “He has some time, you may finish your breakfast.”
Felix, of course, did not finish anything.
Jisung didn’t say much, just watched them interact, his sharp eyes following each and every one of them, tracking the way Jeongin was touching Felix, with a familiarity that was normal in Levanter, but most likely not in Miroh. A familiarity Jeongin wouldn’t show around outsiders, but as Jisung was in the inner circle of that prince, he most likely tried to sow some trust between them.
Jeongin liked to do that to gain trust, after all.
“Thank you, Jisung-ssi.” Felix bowed his head to him after Jeongin had made sure he was wearing that ridiculous coat and the scarf that matched surprisingly well.
“It is quite literally my job to serve My Prince’s wishes.” Jisung said, a smile gracing his lips. “Even if I don’t always do so.”
“In that case, I am just more thankful you do so now.” Felix smiled at him, and Minho could see the way Jisung’s eyes widened at that for a fraction, when he was hit for the first time with one of Felix’s sunny smiles.
“Of course.” Jisung turned around, opening the door to the hall. “Please follow me.” He started walking in big steps.
Too big for Felix to take without straining his back more than was necessary.
“Jisung-ssi.” Minho deliberately halted Felix as he met Jisung’s eyes. “It is not proper to march for Our Prince.” It was bullshit, was what it was. But Minho had yet to meet someone, be it noble or servant, who would disagree with an argument like that.
Especially for the enemy Prince in the castle of the victor.
Jisung glanced at Felix, a glimmer of suspicion in his eyes, before he nodded. “My apologies, I wasn’t aware of that.”
“No worries, Jisung-ssi. We are still learning, aren’t we?” Felix smiled one of his most disarming smiles at Jisung, making another sliver of suspicion appear in the guard’s eyes, even if he bowed his head again.
“Of course, Felix-nim. Please follow me.” Jisung started walking again, but at a much more sedate pace.
Taking his place to Felix’s right, Minho kept his eyes wandering through the halls and over the people they passed. Servants and nobles alike were wearing almost too colorful clothes. Where Levanter preferred warm, earthy colors, Miroh seemed to want to scream their perceived superiority, even with their embarrassingly colorful clothes.
And over all of that, there was that obnoxious red, that was screaming at them from every banner and every coat of a guard. Even the servants were wearing something red, screaming their allegiance.
It made wearing the white of a fucking peace offering almost worth it, if it didn’t mean that Minho had to wear red.
Not that he would have been thrilled to still wear purple. Not after everything Levanter had done to them.
He glanced at Felix, walking two steps in front of him in a third thrilly white gown. Of course, he looked beautiful in it, even if Minho preferred Felix in the comfortable clothes he’d preferred to wear before all of this had started.
But they wouldn’t make him look like a fucking doll for the Miroh royalty to play with, would they?
Swallowing the new wave of rage trying to bubble under his skin, he glanced at the scarf that Seungmin had brought for Felix. It was almost white, with just the slightest pink-ish tone to it, and still needlessly frilly.
It brought out Felix’s lips, yes, giving him the slightest bit of color.
It still looked like it should have been white and was dyed with watered-down blood.
They passed a group of nobles, all of them glaring at Felix as if he were personally offending them.
Minho’s hand didn’t twitch to where he was used to wearing his weapons, but it was a near thing. How much he missed them. Especially walking openly through enemy territory.
Jisung, too, had glanced at them, not saying anything, but at least he’d noticed.
Although, as long as Felix wasn’t claimed openly, this could also be used against them.
The longer they walked, the more eyes Minho felt on his back. Even if everyone already knew what Felix looked like, the white of their clothes was sticking out like a sore thumb.
Something tight and almost painful unclenched in him when they stepped outside, under a blue sky. No matter that they were forbidden from stretching their wings, being outside already helped. Being away from the glaring eyes helped, too.
“You are free to walk the whole garden, Felix-nim. Over there is a tended rose garden.” Jisung pointed to the left, explaining more places in the garden that, by the description alone, had to be thrice as big as the one in Levanter.
Jisung, probably very consciously, did not point out where the place was to transform, either not to tempt them or as a kindness. Minho wasn’t sure which it would be.
“I will leave you now. If you need anything, just stop a servant and tell them to get one of us.” Jisung bowed his head again.
“Of course, thank you, Jisung-ssi.” Felix inclined his head, too, waiting until Jisung had almost reached the castle again, before he looked towards the left. “Shall we see the roses?”
Jeongin moved forward, offering his arm to Felix, but Felix shook his head. “I’m fine, Innie, I want to move.”
“Okay, Lix.” Jeongin glanced at Hyunjin, who just nodded. The pain Felix was in was bearable then.
Following Felix down the small path, Minho was able to breathe easier the further they got away from the castle. Right up to the point where they saw the valley filled with roses, small paths winding through them as what had to be hundreds of rose bushes filled it. Between them were benches for rest and what looked like decorative fountains.
“Oh.” Was all that Felix could say, seeing so much opulence even in a garden, while in Levanter, people had barely enough water and food to sustain themselves.
Oh, was certainly one way to react to it.
Following the winding paths, the air was filled with the sweet scent of roses, getting almost too overwhelming as the sun rose higher in the sky.
At least Felix’s steps became easier again, his expression loosening some.
“We should head back soon.” Hyunjin said, glancing up at the sky. “It’s already time for lunch.”
Felix didn’t groan, but he threw Hyunjin an annoyed look that smoothed out immediately.
Turning towards Hyunjin, Minho tensed. At the top of the hill overlooking the rose garden and staring directly at them was a group of seven people. From here, he would guess that it was one noble, two servants, and four guards, even though the color of their cloaks suggested they weren’t from the royal household.
Hyunjin and Jeongin, who had also turned, cursed both silently under their breath.
If this were a setup, Minho wouldn’t give a fuck about what the treaty said. He would protect them, and he would kill anyone who tried to lay a hand on Felix. In fact, if they were anyone without the magic bindings that stopped shifting, he would already be in his dragon form, the roses be damned.
“Head back or evade them?” Hyunjin asked under his breath.
“Wait.” Felix whispered back just as silently. “If they want to corner us, we have no option or opportunity but to run, and they most likely know these gardens much better than we do.”
Minho wanted to disagree, but he couldn’t. Showing weakness wouldn’t be a good idea, especially not knowing if others would want to exploit that as well.
“Let’s get to the fountain over there.” Minho suggested, turning his back on the other people. Hyunjin and Jeongin would keep an eye on them for him. “If worst comes to worst, we have at least something to duck behind.”
Felix glanced at him, a small smile on his lips, even if it was strained again.
Once upon a time, they wouldn’t have needed that. Once upon a time, Felix would have been more capable of protecting himself than most guards were.
Once upon a time, they hadn’t been trapped in this mess.
Minho nodded towards the fountain, and Felix followed the instruction, walking over to it and smelling the roses on the way there, his movements graceful and smooth, to round up his performance.
“They are coming closer.” Hyunjin whispered, falling back a bit more, while Jeongin drew closer to Felix. “And they brought friends.”
“Let’s hope this is just some curiosity.” Felix murmured back, still looking for all the world unaware of what was happening.
“Sure, Bokkie, they are just curious.” Minho whispered before he turned around, now facing the people just a few hundred meters behind them. He glanced up to the start of the rose garden. Up there were six more guards, their repulsive red cloaks billowing behind them.
Royal guards. But Minho knew they wouldn’t help them.
“What have we here?” The noble in the middle asked, acid in his voice. He looked to be in his late thirties, the first grey strands in his hair. He was wearing sedated colors compared to anything else Minho had seen so far from the people of Miroh, and black jewelry.
“The useless prince Levanter was glad to be rid of.”
Keeping his posture relaxed but ready, Minho allowed his eyes to categorize the other people in the group. He’d been right. There were two servants with the noble and four guards, all of them looking pissed off, even though not half as furious as the noble did.
Someone who hated Levanter then. Someone who had lost people in the war, most likely. It made sense, of course it did, even if it had been Miroh to start the war. If at all, he should be fucking furious with his King and Queen, not Felix.
Minho didn’t glance at Hyunjin. He most often saw even more than Minho did, but right now it didn’t matter what their motivation was. Just that they got Felix safely out of this.
With no weapons, while their opponents had plenty and had twice as many people. The royal guards were not even counted into those numbers.
“My apologies.” Felix said from behind them, his accent sounding thicker, the words less polished. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Oh, it speaks.” The noble spat. “Not well, but you can’t be as dumb as you look.”
Minho was going to enjoy taking that one down.
“My apologies, I do not understand.” Felix sounded afraid and confused, even though, for Minho’s taste, he was putting it on a bit too thick.
“Stupid fucking bitch.” The noble took another step forward, and Minho and Hyunjin immediately fell into a battle-ready stance, prompting the other guards to draw their weapons.
“You’re not worth the air you breathe.” The noble made a hand gesture, and the guards immediately charged forward, clearly just having waited to be unleashed.
Ducking even lower, Minho inhaled, slowly. He ignored Felix’s cry, begging to stop, falling back into a rhythm Hyunjin and he had established ever since they were nine and seven.
They might have never fought at the front of the war, but that wasn’t because of a lack of skill.
Minho kicked the first sword out of the hand of the first guard before he was even able to swing it. The satisfying crack that vibrated through the air was almost as nice to listen to as the attacker’s cry of pain.
Turning to the next opponent, he ducked under the sword slash, grabbed her arm, and threw her off course into the rose bushes, as he already swung his leg out to kick the first attacker in the back of his knee.
There were more yells now, and he didn’t need to look up and see the royal guards running towards them to know this was happening.
Instead, he faced the servant running at him, two daggers in his hands.
Minho managed to avoid the first slash, being cut on the second strike along his lower arm, before he could grab his wrist and throw him into the rose bushes as well, while simultaneously taking one dagger from him.
“In the name of Jusang Jeonha, stop!” The first royal guard bellowed, running towards Minho.
Crouching again, Minho froze in the movement at Felix’s voice.
“Stand down!”
Because if they fought royal guards, that might be seen as an act of war.
Forcing his instincts down, Minho let go of the dagger, allowing it to fall to the ground just a second before the guard slammed fully into him, knocking the air out of Minho’s lungs, and flung him back hard.
He managed to roll himself off on his shoulder, crouching just at the edge beside a rose bush, as he looked up at two royal guards still advancing at him and screaming at him to stay down.
As if screaming would help if he didn’t understand their tongue.
He glanced past them to Hyunjin, who was held tightly by two guards as shackles were put on him.
Shackles that these guards had with them on a stroll through the gardens after Jisung had just brought them here.
The two guards grabbed him, forcing him to stand up, their hands so tight they would leave bruises.
His hands were ripped forward and shackled, too, the magic in them immediately numbing his senses.
“Stop!” Felix called out, his voice a wavering demand. “We did no wrong! They began!”
The guards didn’t even look up.
“We innocent! Just-” Felix's voice was interrupted by a loud slapping sound.
Minho immediately whirled to His Prince, seeing Felix now lying half in a rose bush behind Jeongin, who was standing between a royal guard and Felix, growling at the guard.
“No!” Felix pushed himself out of the bush, ignoring the way his clothes were ripped by the thorns, or red welled up on his arms and legs, his hand holding the scarf in place.
Half of his face was red, and blood trickled from his split lip. It didn’t matter that it would be healed soon enough. These assholes had laid their hands on Felix. Had made him bleed.
Thrashing in the arms that held him, Minho tried to get free, but shackled and numbed, he had no chance against the two men holding him.
Hyunjin didn’t have better luck, although he was trying to bite the people who were holding him now.
“Get them in the dungeons!” The guard who had slapped Felix growled, his angry eyes on Felix, who now tried to get past Jeongin.
“No! They protected me safe! It’s their task! You cannot-”
This time, Jeongin was faster, pushing Felix back before the guard could hit him again.
The guards holding Minho ripped him around now, dragging him back towards the tower, ignoring his growls and curses, using his injuries against Minho to force him to keep moving. His injuries would also heal in a matter of hours if the magic numbing shackles weren’t there, but neither fucking mattered as he was fucking useless right now.
Glancing over his shoulder as best he could, he saw one of the guards hit his knife hilt against Hyunjin’s head, making him slump in their grasp.
“No!” Felix now screamed, a death growl mixing into his voice. “These are my-”
“You are nothing but a fucking plaything here!” The guard in front of Felix bellowed, a growl underlying his voice. “Shut the fuck up or I have that one killed right here and now!”
Minho had no idea which of them the guard meant, but it didn’t matter. Felix wouldn’t do anything that would risk any of them.
Neither could Minho.
He tried to turn a little more but was ripped around painfully. He saw something metallic glint out of the corner of his eye, and even before the pain exploded, taking his vision with it, Minho knew they were fucked.